In the last couple of months, friends have asked me to review new Internet marketing websites they’ve built and offer advice. I look at design, search optimization and content. Probably because of my journalism experience, I tend to notice language problems first.
I’m always surprised when folks don’t realize their writing is um, murky. Their content is muddied with misspelled words, grammatical errors and awkward sentences. As a result, whatever their message, it’s not getting across to the reader. When your message is muddled, it tarnishes great search optimization, brilliant design and all the other good work that goes into marketing a product on the Internet.
Granted, I can be rightfully accused of being a language curmudgeon, but I don’t mean to be stodgy. The rules of good writing, grammar and spelling are meant to foster good, clear communication. In a way, they’re like the conventions of good Web design, graphic design or filmmaking. Follow certain standards, and it’s likely that more people will clearly and quickly understand your message. Yes, rules can be bent or broken, but only when it improves the communication of the message.
Here’s a sentence I stumbled over while reviewing a site for one of my classmates in a University of San Francisco Internet marketing course: “Fiscal responsibility and being environmentally conscience can coexist!” The first problem, of course, is the word “conscience.” If we’re using a word that starts with “con,” conscientious is probably the best choice, although I assume the writer meant “conscious.”
A more subtle problem with the sentence is the lack of agreement between the two phrases in the subject, “fiscal responsibility” and “being environmentally conscience (sic).” Without getting technical, they just don’t fit together. To get them to agree, they could be written as “fiscal responsibility and environmental conscientiousness” or “being fiscally responsible and being environmentally conscientious.” Another option: “Saving money and saving the environment can coexist.”
I can hear some of you now: “Oh, come on, what’s the difference?” It’s the difference between traveling in a straight line or following a series of curves and turns to get to the same destination. You get there in both cases, but it’s easier and more efficient on the straight path. Think of good writing as removing obstacles between your reader and your information. It also gives your website an added sheen of professionalism that could make the difference between choosing you or a competitor.
There are some things you can do and think about to improve the writing on your site.
1. Read and re-read “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. It’s a short, simple book about how to write with clarity. If you ever have to write anything, even an e-mail, you should read this book.
2. Think about who your readers are and what they’re trying to learn by visiting your site. Write according to your readers’ level of understanding about your product or subject. Avoid technical jargon unless your readers are likely to gain value from technical descriptions.
3. Avoid redundancy. In other words, don’t write the same thing twice with different words. While intentional repetition can be a good writing technique, redundancy is another matter. Avoid writing something like “This is the best widget you can buy. You won’t be able to buy a better widget anywhere!”
4. Don’t write just to fill space. Good search-engine-optimization practice calls for between 250 and 1,000 words on a Web page. Make every sentence count. If you’re struggling to reach the minimum, find extra details and facts, not just extra words.
5. Spend a few extra minutes to run your content through the spell-check and grammar-check in Microsoft Word or whatever word-processing software you use.
6. Either find someone to proofread your content or read some of it aloud. Sometimes, speaking what you write will help identify awkward phrases and poor grammar.
To wrap up, don’t overlook the value of correct spelling and basic grammar when writing content for your website. It makes it easier for your prospective customers to understand your value proposition. Although few people will notice when your content is well-written, if your site contains misspellings and grammatical mistakes, they’ll be quick to doubt your professionalism.